Brussels wants a bigger say in decisions on border checks inside the European Union, especially at times of crisis.
Cecilia Malmstrom, Europe's home affairs commissioner, said a more European and less national approach is needed when it comes to guaranteeing freedom of movement.
"The aim of this proposal is to guarantee a more consistent, a more transparent and a more efficient border control area. We want a better Schengen, then we want to shift to a truly European System; the only one able to strengthen and safeguard the citizen's rights to free movement within the Schengen area, one of the most cherished achievement by the EU", Malmstrom said.
Malmstrom is defending the passport-free travel zone in Europe as a "fantastic project". More than 400 million people from 25 European countries enjoy passport-free travel across the area.
The EU estimates that this Schengen zone represents a 40 billion euro boost to the European economy.
But not everybody is enthusiastic. France, Italy and Spain, and also Denmark want to reinstate border checks to keep out immigrants from Africa. Malmstrom said it's important to maintain mutual trust between EU member states.
"We avoid a situation where member states read in the newspaper that their neighbour want to introduce a border control. This mechanism would reinforce the mutual trust between members states since each of them would be certain that even in a case a Member state do not fulfil their duties, the strain on the part of EU border would not result on a disruption of the whole system".
The Swedish commissioner presented her plans shortly after France temporarily closed its borders to avoid the arrival of thousands of Tunisians through Italy. Malmstrom called this action a "violation in spirit" of the Schengen treaties.
And Greece last year needed assistance from the EU in guarding its land-border to Turkey, the main entry point of migrants from he Middle East and north Africa.
The Commission proposals will be discussed in the European Parliament before ...
